Removable shoulder rest for violins



April 1, 1952 M. KLEIN 2,591,164

REMOVABLE SHOULDER REST FOR VIOLIN-S Filed Aug. 21, 1950 Wood I0 Leather Strap 32 Sponge Rubber 24 26 Velvet 1N VENTOR. Markus Klein.

Wwi- WMM ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE REMOVABLE SHOULDER REST FOR VIOLINS Markus Klein, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application August 21, 1950, Serial No. 180,554

5 Claims. 1

My invention relates to an improved shoulder rest for violins, and has as an object the provision of a shoulder rest which is relatively small, light in weight, attractive in appearance and readily attachable to and detachable from a violin.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shoulder rest which contacts the bottom plate of a violin in a novel manner so that the sound absorbing effect of the contact between the shoulder rest and violin is reduced to a minimum.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a shoulder rest for violins, novel sound reflecting means to reduce the sound absorbing effect of the customary shoulder rest.

A principal defect of shoulder rests of the prior art is that after attachment to the bottom plate of the violin, they are relatively immovable with respect to such bottom plate. Thus, such rests are incapable of automatically positioning themselves to the physical build of the player, and to the many varying positions in which the violin may be held by the player. Accordingly, it is a still further object of my invention to provide a shoulder rest for violins which, upon attachment to the bottom plate of a violin, automatically positions itself to the requirements of the players build and the manner in which he holds the violin.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, approximately half-size, of a conventional violin with my shoulder rest mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is an end view, partially in section, approximately full size, taken substantially along the plane of the line II-II in Figure l; but showing the rubber band therein, as untensioned.

Figure 3 is a heel end view taken along the plane of the line III-III in Figure 1; and showing the shoulder rest below the bottom plate of the violin.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the shoulder rest taken along the plane of the line IV-IV in Figure 1; and showing the velvet covering of the shoulder rest at the bottom and sides of said Figure 4.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the different views, 2 designates the bottom plate of a conventional violin, said violin having the usual end pin 4, and opposed lateral rib points 6 and G on said bottom plate intermediate the length of said violin.

My improved shoulder rest, in its entirety, is designated by the reference numeral 8. Figure 1 shows shoulder rest 8 attached to bottom plate 2 in operative relationship thereto. As may be seen by reference to Figures 2 and 4, shoulder rest 8 includes a bridge member or frame I0, preferably made in one piece from oak or other hardwood, but which also may be made from metal, plastic or soft wood. Frame Ill, at one end thereof, which end is designated by reference numeral H, and is hereinafter referred to as the heel portion of the shoulder rest, has an integral projecting lug or heel [2. Attached to heel [2 of frame 10, as by gluing or in any other known manner is an outer pad [4 of soft material, preferably sheet rubber, which, as shown in Figure 3, contacts bottom plate 2 at point 13. My shoulder rest is so designed that the point of contact l3 between outer pad l4 and bottom plate 2, when the shoulder rest is attached to bottom plate and before the player applies any pressure thereto, lies approximately midway between the extremities of the curved edge I5 of outer pad l4, said extremities being designated respectively, by points 16 and I1. This is further described hereinafter. Edge I5 is so curved, as shown in Figure l, as to rather closely conform to the curved edge of bottom plate 2. Attached, as by gluing or in any other known manner, to the opposite end of frame In, which end is designated by reference numeral l9, and is hereinafter referred to as the toe portion of the shoulder rest, is an outer pad [8 of soft material, preferably sheet rubber, which, as shown by Figures 1 and 2, contacts bottom plate 2 along edge 20 on bottom plate 2, said edge 20 being defined by end points 2| and 22 thereon. Soft material is employed for pads 14 and [8 to avoid marring of bottom plate 2. I have found that sheet rubber is especially suitable for pads 14 v and I 8 because of its relatively high coefficient of friction against bottom plate 2, which reduces the possibility of slippage between shoulder rest 8 and bottom plate 2.

Padding 24, preferably of foam rubber, is placed on frame l0, and is held in position by covering 28, preferably of satin or velvet fabric, but which may be made of any other suitable material. Covering 26 is affixed to padding 24, by gluing or in any other known manner, and is also aiiixed to the outer edges 28 of frame H), by gluing or in any other known manner; thereby, a light, compact structure results, comprising a frame II! and padding 24 held in position thereon by covering 28. In order to reduce the sound absorbing eifect of the shoulder rest, I prefer to paint, or otherwise coat with a relatively non-porous material, the outer side of frame I0, between the heel II and toe I9 portions thereof; said non-porous coating being designated by reference numeral 30. This nonporous coating 36 assists in making the frame I0, an effective sound reflecting means, which operates to prevent the shoulder rest as a whole, from having a tone absorbing eifect upon the violin tones.

For attaching the shoulder rest to a violin, I employ a strap 32 having an aperture 34 therethrough near the outer end thereof. The strap 32 is attached to the violin by fastening said strap 32 to end pin 4 by means of said aperture 34 in said strap. The strap is pivotally fastened, near the inner end thereof, to the inner side of frame ID by means of fastening pin 36. Fastening pin 38 is preferably formed of spring steel wire, and has an eye-loop 38 at the outer end thereof. In assembling the shoulder rest, fastening pin 36 is driven through frame I and pinned through the inner end of strap 32.

A band of resilient material 40, which I have shown as an ordinary rubber band, is afiixed to eye 38, and may be hooked over lateral rib point 6. Band 40 is selected of such cross sectional size and length as to hold shoulder rest 8 firmly on bottom plate 2.

Particular attention is now directed to an important aspect of my structure and invention; i. e., the nature of the cooperation of frame Ill, through pads I4 and I8, with bottom plate 2. Reference to Figures 2 and 3 shows that I employ a double taper on projecting heel I2, so that pad I4 has only substantially point contact at point I3 with bottom plate 2. Heel I2, and therefore the structure comprising heel I2 and outer pad I4, has one component of taper such that said heel I2, and therefore the outer surface of outer pad I4, rises generally away from edge I5 in the direction of the opposite side of the violin. By rises, I mean in the direction of the foam rubber padding 24 of the shoulder rest. The outer surface of outer pad I4 is substantially a plane surface; accordingly, outer pad I4 contacts bottom plate 2 substantially at a point, which point is designated by reference numeral I3 as hereinabove mentioned. Heel I2, and therefore the structure comprising heel I2 and outer pad I4, has another component of taper such that said heel I2, and therefore the outer surface of outer pad I4, rises in the direction of end pin 4. The amount of the last mentioned taper may be varied greatly; I employ a taper which is sufficient for the purpose of allowing the shoulder rest to have an automatic positioning range sufficient for the needs of most players. The difference in height between heel I2 and toe I9 is selected to compensate for the lateral shoulder slope of the average player.

I employ a single taper on the toe portion I9 of frame Ii], which rises in a direction generally away from the end pin 4 of the violin. The purpose of said taper is to assure a line contact, rather than a surface contact, between outer pad I8 and bottom plate 2. Thus, outer pad I8 contacts bottom plate 2 along edge 20.

The foregoing description of the cooperation between frame It and bottom plate 2 refers, of course, to such cooperation before the player exerts any pressure on shoulder rest 8 while playing the violin. When the player places the violin in playing position, depending upon the pressure applied by the player between his chin and shoulder or collar-bone, and depending upon the exact location therebetween chosen by the player, the shoulder rest 8 will automatically position itself to the players requirements by rocking slightly along edge 15' so that the shoulder rest will at all times be supported on the bottom plate at some point between points I 6 and I! on edge I5, and also on edge 20. While most players do not perceive this automatic positioning motion, but rather are conscious only of a firm grip of the shoulder rest 8 against the bottom plate 2; nevertheless, such automatic positioning, I have found, adds materially to the utility of the rest, and the comfort of the player.

As I have mentioned above, my shoulder rest is designed so that upon attachment to the bottom plate of the violin and before any pressure is applied thereto by the player, the point of contact I3 between outer pad I4 and bottom plate 2 lies approximately midway between the extremities of curved edge I5 of outer pad I4. I have found that such point of contact may be changed along edge I5 of outer pad I 4 by changing the location of fastening pin 36. For example, by shifting fastening pin 36, as shown in Figure l, in the direction of end pin 4,1 thereby shift the point of contact between outer pad I 4 and bottom plate 2 to some other point on edge I5 in the direction of point II from point I3. I prefer to have said contact point I3 lie approximately midway between the extremities of edge I5, as above mentioned, in order to provide for a high degree of adjustability of the shoulder rest in both directions along edge I5 from point I3. I have found that positioning fastening pin 36 in the approximate location shown in Figure 1, results in a point of contact I3 between outer pad I4 and bottom plate 2, which lies approximately midway between the extremities of edge I5.

Another important aspect of my invention is that my shoulder rest, as above described has little or no apparent sound absorbing effect upon the violin. Shoulder rests described in the prior art are relatively inefiective in preventing tone absorption. Apparently, this is because such rests often provide a relatively large area of contact between the bottom plate of the violin and the rest, or because one or more of the contacts between the rest and the bottom plate are located in relatively high resonance areas of the violin. My invention avoids this disadvantage because, as above described, (1) contact between the heel pad I4 and bottom plate 2 is made only at substantially a single point, and this point is always located along the edge of the bottom plate of the violin, which edge is located in an area of little or no resonance of the bottom plate of the violin, (2) contact between the toe pad I8 and bottom plate 2 is only along an edge, which edge is located in an area of little or no resonance of the bottom plate of the violin, and (3) because the shape and size of my shoulder rest is so selected that the toe portion is placed as near as is practicable to a dead spot on the bottom plate 2. By dead spot I mean and refer to the area of relatively low resonance on the bottom plate 2, which is caused by the center block which separates the top and bottom plates of the violin, and which is designated by the dotted area 42 in Figure 1. I have found that the closer the toe portion of the rest is located to the center block, the better is the performance of the rest from the standpoint of preventing tone absorption. Accordingly, I located the toe portion IQ of my shoulder rest as near as practicable to center block 42. I have found that when I locate the said' toe portion I9 so that at least a part thereof lies directly under the center block 42, as shown in Figure 1, little or no sound absorption occurs.

It is clear that many other embodiments and variations may be constructed utilizing the teachings of my invention. I, therefore, desire that the following claims and terms used therein be given a broad interpretation limited only by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A shoulder rest for a violin, including a bridge member to be removably held against a rear portion of the bottom plate of the violin, said bridge member including a heel member and a toe member projecting therefrom to engage said bottom plate and to space the major portion of said-bridge member from said bottom plate, said heel member being adapted to engage said bottom plate at a substantially point contact, and said toe member being adapted to engage said bottom plate along a line contact, and said bridge member being adapted to rock on said bottom plate upon the application of pressures by a violin player.

2. A shoulder rest for a violin including a bridge member to be removably held against a rear portion of the bottom plate of the violin, said bridge member including a heel member and a toe member projecting therefrom to engage said bottom plate and to space the major portion of said bridge member from said bottom plate, said heel member being adapted to engage said bottom plate at a substantially point contact, and said toe member being adapted to engage said bottom plate along a line contact.

3. A shoulder rest for a violin including a bridge member to be removably held against a rear portion of the bottom plate of the violin, said bridge member including a heel member and a toe member projecting therefrom to engage said bottom plate at a substantially point contact and being adapted to rock on said bottom plate upon the application of pressures by a violin player.

4. A shoulder rest for a violin including a bridge member to be removably held against a rear portion of the bottom plate of the violin, said bridge member including a heel member and a toe member projecting therefrom to engage said bottom plate and to space the major portion of said bridge member from said bottom plate, said heel member having an outer pad member inclined to the plane of said bottom plate and engaging said bottom plate at a substantially point contact, said toe member having an outer rod member inclined to the plane of said bottom plate and engaging said bottom plate along a line contact, said contacts permitting said shoulder rest to rock on said bottom plate upon the application of pressures by a violin player.

5. A shoulder rest for a violin including a bridge member to be removably held against a rear portion of the bottom plate of the violin, said bridge member including a heel member and a toe member projecting therefrom to engage said bottom plate and to space the major portion of said bridge member from said bot tom plate, said toe member having an outer compressible pad member, said heel member having an outer pad member inclined to the plane of said bottom plate, said latter pad member having an outer curved edge to engage said bottom plate at a substantially point contact, thereby permitting said shoulder rest to rock on said bottom plate upon the application of pressures by a violin player.

MARKUS KLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,958,451 Syverston May 15, 1934 2,216,052 Spetseris Sept. 24, 1940 2,483,052 Humphrey Sept. 27, 1949 

